Home / Crime and Justice / ATM Raiders Jailed for £700k Heist
ATM Raiders Jailed for £700k Heist
8 Mar
Summary
- Gang stole £700,000 from ATMs using angle grinders and jaws of life.
- They boasted to police that they had no evidence against them.
- A flatbed truck was used to transport stolen vehicles and equipment.
A gang of five individuals has been sentenced for a series of audacious cash machine raids that netted them approximately £700,000. The criminals operated for nearly a year, employing sophisticated tools such as angle grinders and hydraulic 'jaws of life' to breach ATMs. They frequently used stolen high-performance cars and multiple fake number plates for their getaways.
One member, Oliver Matthews, owned a garage where stolen vehicles were stored and the gang used it as a base. He also assisted in transporting vehicles post-crime. The gang's criminal activities spanned across nine different police force areas in England. Their arrogance led them to boast on WhatsApp about their perceived invincibility from law enforcement.
The gang's operations extended to West Mercia, Leicestershire, Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and Staffordshire. A significant break in the case occurred when they brazenly booked two holiday lets in Cumbria for a three-day raid period. This provided police with a crucial operational base to monitor and ultimately apprehend the group.
Evidence gathered included CCTV footage, phone records, voice recordings, and forensic analysis of DNA and fingerprints. Daniel Hickenbottom was arrested after police intercepted a transporter carrying a stolen Audi used in one of the raids. The remaining members of the gang were subsequently identified and arrested.
Sentencing took place in October, with reporting restrictions only recently lifted. Craig Howell received 10 years, Noel Reilly and Simon Pagett were each sentenced to eight years and six months, Oliver Matthews received 40 months, and Daniel Hickenbottom was jailed for three years and nine months. All had pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to burgle, handling stolen goods, and possessing criminal property.
